Written/executive produced by Casey Johnson and David Windsor, the single-camera NBA project, from ABC Studios, is a buddy comedy about Mo (Blondy Baruti), an NBA rookie who doesn’t speak English, and a translator (Skylar Astin) who doesn’t speak basketball.

Rhames, repped by Kramer Management, will play the team’s confident and smooth general manager. Rhames’ TV series credits have been largely dramas to date, including Monday Mornings and Gravity.